Photo By Jeffrey Grossi | Master Sgt. David Rogers, 315th Security Forces Squadron fire team leader, aims a...... read more read more
More than 30 Air Force Reserve Defenders traversed a mile of jungle terrain under full combat load to sharpen their ability to detect, track, and neutralize small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) threats during Exercise NEXUS FORGE at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, on Feb. 5, 2025.
Expeditionary Air Base (XAB) certification is more than a test—it is a critical demonstration of Reserve Airmen’s ability to establish and sustain forward-operating locations in austere conditions. This capability enables the Air Force to project power anywhere in the world, a necessity for maintaining air superiority in future conflicts. As adversaries refine drone tactics in contested environments, counter-small unmanned aircraft systems (C-sUAS) training is essential to force protection.
The day began before dawn with a one-mile ruck march to the combat arms firing range, where Defenders, carrying full gear, followed a Humvee escort into dense jungle terrain.
“This environment is giving us the chance to go after the jungle,” said Master Sgt. Christopher Whalen, 349th Security Forces Squadron NCO in charge of readiness and training. “We've been stuck in the desert for so long. We've been playing in a theater where you can literally see as far as the eye can reach, right? Now it's time to transition a bit. We're looking at these thick, vast jungle—how do we see our enemies? How do we detect them inbound when there's so much cover and concealment? Here, we're getting an opportunity to do that. We're going to be traversing the jungle, we're going to be conducting land navigation. We're going to be defending the base from drones and different threats that are available in this environment.”
Once at the range, Citizen Airmen trained alongside the U.S. Army's 2nd Light Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, using electronic warfare tools such as the Dronebuster, DroneDefender, DroneShield, and DroneGun—navigation-frequency jamming systems designed to disrupt enemy drone control links. These tools force hostile drones to either land or return to their point of origin, preventing adversaries from gathering intelligence or launching attacks on U.S. forces.
"It's good for us, because a lot of these people that are with us from the 507th are new," said Staff Sgt. Jared Gonzales, a fire team member assigned to the 507th SFS. “They've never done stuff like this before. And even for people who've been in a long time, like me, tech school and training has changed. So it's a refresher for me as well, being that I've been in for so long now, I'm learning new things as I go as well.”
The training also incorporated the Titan C-UAS monitoring system, which provides real-time intelligence on drone activity by detecting sUAS quantity, distance, and speed. This layered defense approach integrates electronic countermeasures with kinetic responses and traditional base defense assets to ensure maximum protection.
“What we're doing here is we've built something based on the AFFORGEN cycle,” said Whalen.
AFFORGEN or Air Force Generation model relates to the 24-month cycle for deployment commitments. The cycle has four six-month components: preparation, certification, deployment commitment and a rest phase.
“We've gone through our level 100 training at the unit," continued Whalen. "We've sent Defenders through the Integrated Defense leadership course, and now we're here to test those skills within the level 300-400 certification here in Hawaii, with resources that we don't have at home station and haven't had for 10-plus years. With advanced war fighting capabilities across the globe, we need to be prepared for the new and upcoming threat.”
As speed remains a key factor in countering drone threats, the ability to quickly detect, assess, and neutralize enemy sUAS is critical to protecting personnel and assets in contested environments. While drone technology continues to advance, the Air Force Reserve will refine its counter-UAS strategies by investing in AI-driven detection, next-generation electronic warfare solutions, and—most importantly—its Airmen.
“The number one ‘drone buster,’ I think, is us as Defenders being on the ground, 24/7 on the gates, on the patrols," said Gonzales. “The systems may go down. They may not catch the drones. But as Defenders on the ground, we can see them in the sky. We can hear them in the sky.”
Exercise NEXUS FORGE provided Citizen Airmen from across the Air Force Reserve Command with a realistic, high-intensity training environment that tested their resilience and operational effectiveness. By reinforcing force protection strategies and sharpening Airmen’s skills against emerging threats, the Air Force Reserve remains ready to defend contested airspace in future conflicts.
| Date Taken: | 02.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.10.2025 12:51 |
| Story ID: | 490411 |
| Location: | SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 79 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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